AHL — American Hockey League
The primary developmental league for the NHL. 32 teams across the United States and Canada (verified 2026-09-16).
The American Hockey League was founded in 1936 and serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League. All 32 NHL teams field at least one AHL affiliate, making the AHL the dominant talent pipeline for professional hockey in North America. The AHL operates in two conferences and four divisions. The league's championship, the Calder Cup — named after Frank Calder, the NHL's first president — has been contested annually since 1937. Most NHL players have spent time in the AHL during their development.
American Hockey League — Tier 2 Professional
32 TEAMS • 2 CONFERENCES
Founded 1936 • Headquartered in Springfield, MA
Teams
32
Countries
2
Founded
1936
NHL Pipeline
Yes
Eastern Conference
Calder Cup contenders from the Northeast and Atlantic regions.
Atlantic Division: Bridgeport Islanders, Charlotte Checkers, Hartford Wolf Pack, Hershey Bears, Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Providence Bruins, Springfield Thunderbirds, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. North Division: Belleville Senators, Cleveland Monsters, Laval Rocket, Milwaukee Admirals, Rochester Americans, Rockford IceHogs, Syracuse Crunch, Toronto Marlies.
Western Conference
Western teams competing for the Calder Cup.
Central Division: Chicago Wolves, Colorado Eagles, Grand Rapids Griffins, Iowa Wild, Manitoba Moose, Texas Stars, Utica Comets. Pacific Division: Abbotsford Canucks, Bakersfield Condors, Calgary Wranglers, Coachella Valley Firebirds, Henderson Silver Knights, Ontario Reign, San Diego Gulls, San Jose Barracuda, Tucson Roadrunners.
NOTABLE TEAMS
Teams in AHL
See all →32 tracked teams in the AHL.
AHL HISTORY
The American Hockey League was founded in 1936, eight years after the predecessor Canadian-American Hockey League folded. The AHL began with six teams in the northeastern United States and grew through the 1940s and 1950s to become the dominant minor professional league in North America. In the modern era, the AHL operates as the top developmental circuit for the NHL, with all 32 NHL teams fielding at least one AHL affiliate.
The AHL's structure has changed significantly since 1936. Through the 1990s and 2000s the league absorbed several rival circuits — the International Hockey League in 2001, and the East Coast Hockey League as a development tier in 2003 — and consolidated its footprint. Today the AHL operates two conferences (Eastern, Western) split into four divisions, with the playoff winner awarded the Calder Cup, named for Frank Calder, the first president of the NHL.
NHL Pipeline: The AHL is where NHL first- and second-year pros, AHL-signed veterans, and top junior graduates develop. The Hershey Bears hold the record for most Calder Cup titles (12); the Springfield Indians and Rochester Americans dominated the league's first half-century.
The AHL's regular season runs from October to April, with 72 games per team. The Calder Cup Playoffs begin in late April and run through June. Calder Cup champions since 2010: Hershey Bears (2010), Binghamton Senators (2011), Norfolk Admirals (2012), Grand Rapids Griffins (2013), Texas Stars (2014), Manchester Monarchs (2015), Lake Erie Monsters (2016), Grand Rapids Griffins (2017), Toronto Marlies (2018), Charlotte Checkers (2019), no champion (2020, season cancelled due to COVID), Hershey Bears (2023), Hershey Bears (2024), Hershey Bears (2025), Abbotsford Canucks (2026).
HOW THE AHL WORKS
The AHL regular season runs from the first weekend of October through mid-April. Each of the 32 teams plays 72 games: 36 home, 36 away. The schedule includes intra-division games (more frequent), inter-division games, and inter-conference games. Two points are awarded for a win, one for an overtime or shootout loss, and zero for a regulation loss.
The top four teams in each division qualify for the Calder Cup Playoffs, which run through June. All rounds are best-of-seven. The divisional semifinals, divisional finals, conference finals, and Calder Cup Finals follow the standard North American playoff format. Overtime in the AHL is five minutes of 3-on-3 hockey followed by a shootout — same as the NHL.
AHL rosters are capped at 20 players for the standard playing roster plus an unlimited number of players on the reserve list. NHL teams that are part of the AHL pipeline can move players between the NHL and AHL freely under the NHL/AHL transfer agreement, signed in 1995. This means an AHL game on any given night will feature a mix of prospects, NHLers on conditioning stints, AHL-only veterans, and tryout players — and the rosters can change between periods.